Guard for trash burning baskets and the like



y 1941- H. CARSVLEY 2,242,111

GUARD FOR TRASH BURNING BASKETS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheetl FIG. 1. 4 7 4 J I a 4, g r Y J LLLL. 4 J 6' J a 0 a 5 a F l E. 2.1

y 13, 1941- H. G. CARsLEY 2,242,111

I GUARD FOR TRASH BURNING BASKETS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IYZUMTJ 627E040 CHESLE'K *4, 2 MAW i/ f/f0///{% Patented May 13, 1941 GUARD FOR TRASH BURNING BASKETS AND THE LIKE Harold G. Carsley, Waukegan, 111., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New J ersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 24, 1939, Serial No. 291,748

Claims.

This invention relates to trash or rubbish burning baskets and the like, and, particularly, to an improved guard or cover for enclosing the opening in the tops thereof.

Various types of guards or covers have been suggested and used for preventing the refuse or trash from escaping from wire trash burning baskets or containers during the burning of the same therein. Some of these guards or covers have been successful in their use, but most of them have been fragile in their construction and would become easily broken, while others either were diflicult to use or would become readily bent out of shape and inoperative, thereby discouraging the use for which they were intended.

In the present invention, there is provided a guard or cover for trash or rubbish burning baskets in which all of the above named disadvantages have been eliminated.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved guard for vide an improved guard for trash'burning haskets and the like which has means associated I therewith for locking the same in a closed, p0si tion over theopening of the basket.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown, for the purpose of illustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trash or rubbish burning basket showing the improved guard or cover of my invention incorporated therewith in its open position;

Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved guard or cover of my invention showing it in the closed position; and

Figure 4 is a similar view of the same showing one position it assumes during opening and closing thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

there is shown a cylindrical trash or rubbish burning basket 2 of the conventional skeleton type, formed solely of wire and having a substantially rigid wire ring member 3 forming the rim of "the basket around the opening in the top thereof with which the improved guard or cover of my invention is adapted to be incorporated.

According to the present invention, the improved guard or cover comprises a plurality of like complementary semi-rigid arm-like bars or link members 4 arranged around the top of the basket with each of these members formed preferably of round galvanized wire and being slightly arcuate-shaped. There is arranged or formed on the outer end of each of the arm-like members 4 an eye portion 5 by which each is pivot-.

ally attached to an equal number of U-shaped lug members 6 arranged at equidistantly spaced intervals around the periphery of the rim. These lug members are preferably formed of round wire and extend radially outwardly from the ring member 3 and are securely attached thereto at the bottom side thereof preferably by means of welding.

Toward the opposite or inner end of each of the arm-like members 4, there is arranged or formed therein an angularly disposed portion 1 and an eye portion 8 formed on the extreme outer ends thereof with each of the eye portions 8 slidably connected to the next succeeding armlike member 4 between its pivoted connection with the lug members at the rim of the basket and the angularly disposed portion I thereof. Thus, it will be seen that all of the arm-like members 4 are successively interconnected with each other around the basket. The angularly disposed portions 1 are formed so as to provide a substantially circular or polygonal formation over substantially the center of the opening of the basket concentric with the rim thereof when the guard is in its closed position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. It should be noted that both the eye portions 5 arranged on the outer end of each of the members 4 and eye portions 8 arranged on the inner ends thereof preferably have inner diameters which are respectively substantially larger than the outer diameters of the U-shaped wire lug members 6 and arm-like members 4 to which they are respectively attached so as to permit free movement of the latter as will hereinafter be described.

It will be understood that the interconnected arm-like members 4 are moved to position over the opening in the top of the basket so as to form a web-like closure for the same, as shownin Figure 3 of the drawings, by manually forcing any one of the members 4 radially inwardly toward the center of the basket about its pivotal connection with the respective lug member at the rim thereof. It will be seen that the forcing of any one of the members 4 inwardly will, in turn, successively move the other of the members around the rim also radially inwardly due to the slidable connections therebetween until each of the eye portions 8 abuts against the angularly disposed portion 7 of the member to which it is slidably connected. Thus, it will be noted that when the members 4 have been moved to such position, the opening in the top of the basket is substantially closed, thereby providing an effective guard therefor to prevent the escape of the contents from therewithin.

To move the guard to its retracted position so as to open the basket, the reverse of the above procedure is practiced, that is, any one of the members l is forced radially outwardly away from the center of the basket which will, in turn, likewise successively move the other of the members 4 around the basket radially outwardly due to the slidable connection therebetween and the same will finally be disposed around the rim of the basket, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings; thereby permitting free access thereinto.

There is preferably arranged in at least one of the arm-like members 4 just below the angularly disposed portion 1 thereof, an arcuateshaped raised portion as shown at 9 in Figures 3 and i of the drawings, formed preferably by slightly bending the member and which is adapted to act as a locking means for retaining the members 4 of the guard in their closed position over the opening in the basket, that is, the eye portion 8 slidably connected to that member passes over the arcuate-shaped portion 9 thereof and is yieldably retained between the same and the angularly disposed portion 1 thereof, thereby locking the members 4 against unintended movement.

Thus, if this locking feature is employed, it will be seen that to open the guard it will be necessary to move that arm-like or link member arranged next to the arm-like member having the raised locking portion 9 incorporated therewith outwardly first to release the locking effect thereof in order to move the remainder of the members successively to their open position as it will be understood that this raised portion locks the adjacent arm-like member against accidental movement, which in turn likewise locks the other of the arm-like members against movement successively around the opening in the basket.

Attention is called to the fact that each of the members 4 preferably rests on the ring member 3 just above the pivotal connection of the eye portion thereof with the U-shaped lug members 6, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, due to the fact that the lug members are positioned below the ring member thereby providing a support for the members 4 and the guard, thereby preventing the same from being forced down into the opening of the basket.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided a guard which can be easily and quickly moved from and to position over the opening in the basket to substantially close the same and be securely retained in such position and, at the same time, a guard which will safely and effectively retain the contents within the basket during the burning thereof.

It will also be seen that trash burning baskets equipped with the improved guard of my invention can be easily nested together for storage and shipment without any interference from the members 4 or guard and this is one of the most important aspects of the present invention.

While I have shown and described an embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of arm-like members movably arranged around the top of the basket, each of said members being constructed and arranged so as to have one end thereof pivotally connected to the basket at the rim thereof and the opposite end slidably connected to the next succeeding arm-like member so as to permit slidable movement thereof relative to the same whereby said members are adapted to be moved to one position over the opening in the top of the basket so as to provide a web-like closure therefor and to another position around the rim thereof to permit access thereinto.

2. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of semi-rigid arm-like members movably arranged around the opening at the topof the basket, each of said members being constructed and arranged so as to have one end thereof pivotally attached to the basket at the rim thereof and the opposite end slidably attached to the next succeeding arm-like member so as to permit slidable movement thereof. relative to the same with said arm-like members adapted to be moved over the opening in the top of the basket by forcing any one of the members inwardly about its pivotal connection toward the center thereof whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively inwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby over the opening so as to provide a web-like closure therefor.

3. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of semi-rigid arm-like members movably arranged at equi-distant spaced intervals around the opening at the top of the basket, each of said members having one end thereof pivotally attached to the basket at the rim thereof and having a length greater than the distancebetween the attachment of the same to the rim with an eye portion arranged in the opposite end which is slidably engaged with the next succeeding arm-like member so as to permit slidable movement thereof relative to the same whereby said members are adapted to be moved over the opening in the top of the basket by forcing any one of. the members inwardly about its pivotal connection toward the center thereof whereby the other of said members are moved successively inwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby over the basket opening so as to provide a web-like closure therefor, and adapted to be moved to position to permit free access to the interior of the basket by forcing any one of the members outwardly about its pivotal connection away from the center thereof whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively outwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby so that they are disposed around the rim thereof.

4. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like as defined in claim 3 wherein at least one of the arm-like members is constructed and arranged so as to provide a locking means to retain all of the arm-like members in their respective closed position over the opening in the basket.

5. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of semi-rigid round wire arm-like members movably arranged at equi-distant spaced intervals around the top of the basket, each of said members having one end thereof pivotally attached to the basket at the rim thereof and having an eye formed in the opposite outer end thereof which is slidably engaged with the next succeeding arm-like member, each of said arm-like members having an angularly arranged portion disposed on the outer end thereof with the angularly arranged portions of each of the arm-like members being disposed in substantially the same direction around said basket, said arm-like members adapted to be moved over the opening in the top of the basket by forcing any one of the members radially inwardly about its pivotal connection whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively inwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby until the eye portions about the angularly arranged portions of the respective arm-like members to which they are slidably connected so as to provide a web-like closure therefor, and adapted to be moved to position to permit free access to the interior of the basket by forcing any one of the members radially outwardly about its pivotal connection whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively outwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby so that they are disposed around the rim thereof.

6. A guard for wire trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of semi-rigid armlike members movably arranged around the top of the basket, an equal number of pivotal connections arranged at equi-distant spaced intervals around the rim of said basket and being securely attached thereto, each of said arm-like members having an eye portion arranged on each end thereof with the eye portion on one end of each of said members pivotally connected to one of said pivoted members and with the eye portion on the opposite end thereof being slidably connected to the next succeeding arm-like member between the eye portions of that member so as to permit slidable movement thereof relative thereto, said arm-like members adapted to be moved over the opening in the top of the basket by forcing any one of the members inwardly about its pivotal connection toward the center thereof whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively inwardly about their respective pivotal connection thereby over the opening so as to provide a web like closure therefor, and adapted to be moved to position to permit free access to the exterior of the basket by forcing any one of the members outwardly about its pivotal connection away from the center thereof whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively outwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby so that they are disposed around the rim thereof.

7. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like as defined in claim 6 wherein the pivotal connections consist of a plurality of U-shaped lug members arranged at equi-distant spaced intervals around the rim of the basket with each of the U-shaped members extending outwardly therefrom and being securely welded thereto.

8. A guard for trash burning baskets and the like comprising a plurality of semi-rigid round wire arm-like members movably arranged around the top of the basket, each of said members having an eye portion arranged on each end thereof with the eye portion on one-end of each of said members being pivotally attached to the rim of said basket at substantially equi-distant spaced intervals therearound with the eye portion on the opposite end thereof being slidably connected to the next succeeding member above its pivotal connection, and with the outer end of each of said members adjacent its slidable connection being angularly arranged in the same direction around the basket so as to permit slid'able movement of the eye connection on the outer end of one of the arm-like members with the adjacent member, said arm-like members adapted to be moved over the opening in the top of the basket by forcing any one of the members inwardly about its pivotal connection toward the center thereof whereby the other of said members around the basket are moved successively inwardly about their respective pivotal connections thereby over the opening until the eye portions abut the angularly arranged portions of the respective arm-like members to which they are slidably connected so as to provide a web-like closure therefor and at least one of said members having a bent portion therein arranged just below the angularly disposed portion thereof which is adapted to prevent unintentional movement of the members and to lock the same in closed position over the opening.

9. A guard for a container of the class described comprising a plurality of arm-like members arranged around the opening in the container, each of said arm-like members having one end thereof pivotally connected to the container adjacent the opening therein and having the opposite end of each of them slidably connected to the next succeeding arm-like member, means arranged with the outer end of each of said arm-like members so as to permit slidable movement thereof with the said next succeeding member whereby all of said arm-like members are adapted to be moved to one position over the opening so as to provide a web-like closure for the same and to another position around the edge of the opening to permit access therethrough into the container.

10. A guard for a container of the class described comprising a plurality of semi-rigid armlike members arranged around the opening in the container, each of said arm-like members having one end thereof pivotally connected to the container adjacent the opening therein and having the opposite end slidably connected to the next succeeding arm-like member, each of said arm-like members having said outer end thereof bent so as to form an angularly arranged portion on said end with the angularly arranged portions of each of the arm-like members being disposed in substantially the same direction around the opening in the container so as to permit slidable movement thereof with the said next succeeding arm-like member whereby all of said arm-like members are adapted to be moved to one position over the opening so as to provide a web-like closure for the same and to another position around the edge of the opening to permit access there- =through into the container.

HAROLD G. CARSLEY, 

